The present invention relates to a device for mounting a pair of casters to a segment of a structure of a stroller and, more particularly, to a mounting device which cushions the stroller and enables the direction of the stroller's motion to be changed.
Generally, a structure of a stroller has four vertical or declined segments 2 each having a tubular configuration as shown in FIG. 1. Four shafts 3 are each mounted to each tubular segment 2. Four pairs of casters 4 are each mounted rotatably on each shaft 3. For easily changing the direction of the stroller's motion, it is preferable to mount each shaft 3 to each tubular segment 2 by means of a mounting device instead of directly mounting each shaft 3 to the tubular segments 2. A conventional mounting device 6 is shown in a partially cross-sectional view in FIG. 1. Each tubular segment 2 has two aligned holes near a lower end thereof. The mounting device 6 has a first sleeve 8 defining two aligned holes near an upper end thereof. A rivet or the like is inserted through the holes of the first sleeve 8 and of the tubular segment 2, thereby securely attaching the first sleeve 8 to the tubular segment 2. Below the holes, an annular flange 10 extends on the first sleeve 8. Below the flange 10, two flexible strips 12 longitudinally extend upwards from the first sleeve 8. Each flexible strip 12 has a free end transversely extending therefrom. The mounting device 6 further has a second sleeve 14. Near an upper end, the second sleeve 14 defines two slots 16 corresponding to the flexible strips 12. To assemble the mounting device 6, the first sleeve 8 is inserted into the second sleeve 14 until the free ends of the flexible strips 12 contact an upper rim of the second sleeve 14. The free ends of the flexible strips 12 are urged towards an axis of the first sleeve 8. Thus, the first sleeve 8 is permitted to be further inserted into the second sleeve 14 until the annular flange 10 contacts the upper rim of the second sleeve 14 and the free ends of the flexible strips 12 are received in the slots 16. As a result, the first sleeve 8 is restrained from moving upwards or downwards relative to the second sleeve 14. However, the second sleeve 14 can be rotated relative to the first sleeve 8, i.e., relative to the tubular segment 2. Then, the shaft 3 is mounted to the second sleeve 14 below the slots 16. As indicated by two arrows in FIG. 1, the flexible strips 12 can be urged towards the axis of the first sleeve 8 to thereby permit the first sleeve 8 to be disengaged from the second sleeve 14. A major problem of such a conventional mounting device 6 is the difficulty in biasing the flexible strips 12 in order to disengage the first sleeve 8 from the second sleeve 14 because the slots 16 are too small for human fingers to enter. Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problem. Moreover, the present invention is adapted for cushioning the stroller.